Insulating railroad-joints for electrical signals



(No Model.)

- T. O'BRIEN, Jr; A

- INSULATING RAILROAD JOINTS FOR ELECTRICAL SIGNALS. No. 546,494. IPatented Sept. 17, 1895 /,i";"7///////////////////,Tc':V////////////7A/////////ZE':

Ji- G4 A B BY 1 (Mum r ATTORNEY.

ANDREW EGRANAM. PHOTO-LITNOWASHINGTDN. DAG.

THOMAS OBRIEN, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATING RAILROAD-JOINTS FOR ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 546,494, dated September17, 1 895.

Application filed July 18, 1896. Serial No. 556,331. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS OBRIEN, Jn, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Insulating Railroad-Jointsfor Electrical Signals, which improvement is fully set forth in thefollowing specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of novel means for insulating railroad-joints forelectrical signals, as will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 represents an'end View, partly in section, of means forinsulating railroad-j oints embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents aside elevation thereof. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section thereof online w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of a railroad-chair forming part of my invention. Fig. 5 represents a top or planview on a reduced scale of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 6represents a top view of a detached portion on a reduced scale. Fig. 7represents a side View of a portion of one of the ties employed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in theseveral figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates wooden cross-ties, on the upperfaces of which are recesses B, in which are seated the longitudinallyextending steel or other suitable plate 0 and a longitudinally-extendingwooden stringer D, the plate being screwed or otherwise secured to theties.

E designates a neck on the stringer D, the same rising above the ties,the spaces aside of said neck being occupied by the iron plates F, whichrest in the main on said stringer, while the side portions are recessedand rest on the ties, the recesses being adapted for the passage of thesecuring-spikes G.

H designates adjacent rails which rest on the neck E and plates F andhave on opposite sides the wooden blocks J. Placed against the outsideof said blocks J are metallic chairs K, through the vertical limbs ofwhich are passed the bolts L, which also pass through the blocks J andwebs of the rails, said bolts being provided with nuts whereby the partsare firmly connected.

The base limbs of the chairs are placed over and upon the outer sideportions of the plates F, and are also recessed to receive the spikes Gfor securing said limbs, with the interposed plates, to the ties. Itwill here be observed that the portions of the base limbs of the chairsthat face each other are cut away, as at K, and thus thoroughlyseparated the distance of the neck E, and the vertical limbs of thechairs are also separated, while bolted with the contiguous wooden blockJ Interposed between the ends of the rails is material M for insulatingsaid rails one from the other. Now, as the rails rest on the neck E ofthe stringer and the metallic plates F, which latter rest on theportions of said stringer aside of the neck, it is evident that thenails are insulated from the ties. As the Wooden blocks J are interposedbetween the rails and chairs, the rails are insulated from said chairs,by which provision the electric continuity of the rails is broken atplaces where conductors of an electric signal are employed, so that thecurrent is from one rail to the mechanism of the signal, and thenthrough the latter to the adjacent rail.

The metallic plate 0 supports the superimposed parts upon the recessedties in a firm but somewhat elastic manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wooden stringer on which the insulated ends of rails are supported,longitudinallyextending wooden blocks aside of the rails, and metallicchairs secured to said blocks and separated from each other, the basesof said chairs being also separated and adapted to be spiked to woodenties, substantially as described.

2. Railroad rails insulated at their ends, in combination with a woodenstringer supported upon ties, metallic plates rested on said stringer,and metallic chairs bolted to wooden blocks aside of the rails andseparated from each other, said chairs and plates being adapted to bespiked to the ties, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Insulated rails, longitudinally-extending wooden blocks aside of thesame, metallic and spiked with the same to the ties, substantially asdescribed.

THOMAS OBRIEN, Jn. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. 0. WIEDERSHEUL

